In keeping with Navy tradition, the ship was flying a decommissioning pennant on her final return and was accompanied by HMS Defender - one of the Navy’s successor Type 45s.

Edinburgh fired a 21-gun salute as she approached the harbour and the saluting gun at Fort Blockhouse, Gosport, responded in a similar fashion.

HMS Edinburgh at Portsmouth. Credit: Royal Navy

Edinburgh’s Commanding Officer, Commander Nick Borbone, said: “After the success of her final operational deployment in March, this has been a fitting finale to an illustrious career for HMS Edinburgh."